Book 1: Spirit Fire
by SophieNewman
Summary: When a girl with white fire comes aboard his ship, he takes her to be a spy, sent to check his progress on his search of the Avatar, but he underestimates her. When he sees her unusual eyes, he is intrigued. When he sees her powerful display of bending, he feels bitter. When she stays, he feels odd relief. She travels with them, offering silent support, but remains oddly detached.
1. Prodigy

Kaia, Zuko and Uncle Iroh were out on the foredeck when it happened.

She was standing at the prow of the ship when a bright, dazzling ray of blue light lit up the sky in a vertical streak. She gasped, taking a step back. She looked back at Iroh and Zuko. Iroh was still playing the game as if nothing had happened.

Zuko's face contorted into a very ugly expression and he said, "_Finally._"

His voice was filled with satisfaction and wistfulness. It made her feel an unwanted pity for the fifteen-year-old who was banished to a life-long and near-impossible search.

He turned to Iroh and said, "Uncle! Do you realize what this means?"

Iroh replied mildly, "I won't get to finish my game?" He looked up from his game and to Zuko's face. The girl was still gaping at the spot where the light was still shining.

"It means my search – it's about to come to an end," was what Zuko said.

The girl, Kaia, regained her composure and said, "Zuko. Are you sure?"

Iroh sighed heavily.

"That light came from an incredibly powerful source!" Zuko said a bit impatiently. He gestured at the now fading streak of light. "It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial light," Iroh said. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko." He looked back at the game for a moment. "I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." He set down the wooden block he'd been holding on the table. Kaia really didn't know the name of the game, but Iroh seemed to enjoy it a lot. "Please sit," Iroh said after the pause. "Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?" he said soothingly. Kaia waited for Zuko's outburst, and was not disappointed.

"I don't need any calming tea!" he roared. "I need to capture the Avatar!"

"Watch yourself, Zuko!" Kaia snapped. He threw her a glance, but otherwise ignored the girl. He was fully focused on the Avatar now.

"Helmsman!" Zuko shouted behind him. "Head a course for the light!" So saying, he pointed in the direction the light had been.

Iroh's face took on an expression Kaia couldn't fathom, and he laid down the wooden block he was holding. She came closer to him and gave him a smile.

"I would love to have some calming jasmine tea, uncle, if you don't mind." He returned the smile and poured her a cup. "Cheers, uncle," Kaia said before sipping the hot liquid.

"Yes, Kaia. There's nothing like a cup of tea, is there? Cheers indeed."

A strong wind blew across the deck, moving the wooden blocks as the ship set sail for the Avatar.

Zuko had been staring across the sea the whole day. He hadn't responded to Iroh or Kaia.

"I'm going to bed now," Iroh said, walking out of the door and to the deck, where Kaia was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, staring out the side of the boat, and where Zuko was standing, as usual, and looking to the front. Iroh yawned hugely and said, "Yup. A man needs his rest." Kaia had a feeling he was trying to tell Zuko in a very subtle manner to get inside. Iroh put on a face and said, "Prince Zuko. You need some sleep. Even if you're right, and the Avatar _is _alive, you won't find him. You father, grandfather, _and _great-grandfather all tried and failed." She tried to give Iroh a warning look, but he didn't seem to get the message.

Then Zuko replied, "Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years in hiding are over."

Iroh sighed quietly. Kaia said, "Zuko. If you want a chance to capture the Avatar, you need to get plenty of rest. Save your energy." She got up and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll tell the captain to wake us in the morning."

Zuko tried to protest, but stopped when he saw the look on her face. It had taken on a warning look, one that said if he didn't get to sleep, there would be consequences. He sighed and relented. "Fine, Kai," he said, using the nickname that most people were uncomfortable using. She would've expected Zuko, of all people, to abandon it, but he seemed to find it endearing. _Agni Kai. _The word echoed in her head. Even though her pet name was basically the name of a firebending duel, it fit. "But promise to wake me up," he warned.

She nodded and said, "Goodnight, Zuko." He walked away. Iroh gave her an appreciative look before following him. She felt a yawn taking over her, and stretched.

"Captain!" Kaia called out sleepily.

He came out of the cabin and asked, "Yes, mistress?"

"Wake me up when dawn breaks out, yes?" Normally, she would rise with the sun. But in these icy North Pole waters, she wasn't sure how her daily firebender-typical ritual would attest. She wasn't sure that she'd be able to feel the sun rising at all, what with the temperatures.

He nodded and with a formal bow, he went away.

Kaia curled up in her cabin and fell almost immediately in a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, she was woken up with a sharp knock on her door. She sat up on bed, groggy but alert, and asked, "Who's there?"

"It's me, mistress," the captain's muffled voice sounded through the door. "Dawn has broken out."

She felt a sleepy smile grace her face. "Good."

Kaia got dressed, then made her way to Zuko's chamber. On the way, she knocked on Iroh's door and said, "Wake up!" She knew that he would be up, though after a bit of lolly-gagging.

_Wow, what a strange word,_ she thought randomly._ No wonder no one used it anymore._

Then she reached Zuko's door and opened it without preamble.

"Get up," she said, prodding the sleeping form underneath the blankets with her finger. Zuko sat bolt upright on the bed and, still rather sleepy, said, "What..?"

She giggled lightly and said, "Wakey, wakey, Prince Zuko. It's time to get up."

He shot her an annoyed look. Then he said, "Ugh, Kaia. Stop talking to me like I'm a kid!"

She shrugged and moved to the wall that hung his dual dao swords. She could practically _feel _his scowl. It was funny, the way she could sense his mood - it was like waves rolling off him, and though she couldn't exactly discern it, she could feel that trademark scowl. Maybe it was the fact that he always wore that scowl, and that him without it would be a surprise all in itself.

"Kaia, I have to change. Please go out."

She turned to him with a look and said, "I wasn't going to stay to watch you change, anyway. There's not much to see, I'm sure..." She ducked as he threw a pillow at her face. Laughing, she stepped out as she glimpsed that tiny, endearing smile of his even as he growled.

He came out, shaking himself, dressed in full armor. Kaia tried not to roll my eyes. Spirits, he was way too much. He said, "I'm going to train."

She just smiled and said, "And I'm going to watch you train - it's been long." He looked surprised, but returned the smile with a small smirk, clearly confident that she'd be impressed with the amount his firebending had improved. At least, that's what she thought - Iroh _had _been talking about how much better he had been at the art, and that Kaia should come and see his improved skills.

Well, she'd be the judge of that.

"Again," Iroh said, his face serious.

Zuko blasted fire from his hands, narrowly missing his opponents. The guards attacked him with blasts of fire from their fists, but he back flipped and landed gracefully behind them. He stopped in the proper stance. But there was something wrong with the technique, as Kaia was sure that Iroh would point out soon enough.

Iroh sighed, barely audible, stood up, and said, "No. Power in Firebending comes from the breath – not the muscles!" Zuko looked irritated. Kaia was irritated with him. She knew she had no reason to be, but his impatience was getting on her nerves now. Iroh continued, "The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs, then becomes _fire._" So saying, Iroh demonstrated, punching out fire mere inches from Zuko's face. He didn't flinch.

"Get it right this time."

Zuko's face took on an ever-present angry expression. "_Enough. _I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready."

"No," Iroh said sternly. "You're impatient. You have yet to master your basics." And more forcefully, he adds, "Drill it again!"

This time, Zuko growled, and Kaia had a feeling he was going to do or say something stupid.

Turning around, he kicked at one of the guards in an unexpected attack, flame bursting from the kick strongly. The man was knocked backwards.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You _will _teach me the advanced set!" Zuko exclaimed angrily in the end. From her quiet perch against the railing, Kaia stood up and moved to Zuko. He heard her approach and turned.

He needed to let off some of the steam, and he needed a _real _opponent.

"Spar with me, Zuko." So saying, she removed her red cloak till she was dressed in casual Fire Nation women's garb - a red top that ended just above the navel, and red harlem pants that reached to her knees, with red tights underneath. Compared to Zuko, in full armor, she looked quite relaxed. She took the required stance, her position firm. His armor was a slight disadvantage, because it would weigh him down, therefore making him slower, while she was much lighter and faster.

Zuko snarled and prepared himself for the fight.

Without a warning, Kaia placed a roundabout kick in the air, forcing out a wave of fire towards him. He ducked, narrowly avoiding it. He scowled.

He punched out fire, aiming for her chest. It was strong, but not very steady. She redirected it with a practiced sweep of her hand.

"How did you do that?!" Zuko exclaimed angrily. She shook my head with a secretive smile on her face.

"I'm a prodigy, darling, it's what I do." At the mention of the word 'prodigy,' his face took on a darker aspect. The word reminded him of his sister Azula, she knew, with her uniquely blue-colored fire and startlingly adept firebending. He swept his foot out in an arc, aiming for Kaia's ankles to catch her off guard. She jumped, narrowly missing it. Her eyes widened in surprise. When had he gotten he so good? Then the blankness returned to her face as she remembered that she and Zuko hadn't sparred for quite a while... A month? Yes, it was a month. How did he improve so much in just a month?

In reply, she double punched in his direction, then followed it with a twirl that issued long streamers of fire forth from her fingertips. Zuko dodged everything – she was grudgingly impressed. So he _had _been training. Going against a prodigy like her with that skill - and succeeding - was a _major _accomplishment, and Kaia couldn't help but feel a sliver of pride for the banished Fire Nation prince.

Then she attacked, this time putting a lot more effort into it. She ran at him, and he was taken off guard, stepping back a bit before recovering barely half a second later, punching out, a plume of flume exhaling. She jumped, curving over the fire, then landing on her hands and pushing back up again, her feet catching Zuko in the chest. He fell, Kaia on top of him. Her knees were resting on his chest, her toes digging into the armor - not doing any damage, but preventing him from moving. Her hands held his wrists down. Zuko struggled, trying to get free, angry at being beaten by a girl - even if it was Kaia. Fire streamed from his legs, and she could feel it. She ignored it, and looked into his eyes.

She saw them full of determination. She saw them filled with passion, which was one of the reasons he was such an excellent firebender. She saw, though he tried to hide it, a bit of wounded pride. He hated to be beaten; he hated to be proven wrong. She saw the desire to prove himself; the thirst for self-worthiness. She saw the deep sense of honor he had, though he didn't see it himself. Kaia saw, in total, that he was ready.

She picked herself off silently, walking to Iroh. She bowed to her firebending teacher before saying, quietly, "He is ready."

Kaia heard a sound of surprise behind her. Without looking, she knew Zuko was there, probably looking at her in shock. Iroh sighed, accepting the advice of the teenage girl. She saw things that many others couldn't, though she probably wasn't all that aware of it.

"Very well. But first, I must finish my roast duck!" Iroh started to munch on it happily, and Kaia tried not to giggle at the change of mood - from a somber firebending master contemplating his pupil's education to just an old man who loved roast duck. Zuko made a face.

Zuko stared out the telescope, as usual, but startled Kaia when his soft voice filled the silence on the deck. She looked up from her meditative pose, and saw the reason for his words. A flare, dull yet clearly visible from this distance, lit up like a small yellow fleck, even as Zuko said, "The last airbender..." His voice held a longing that Kaia came to associate with the Avatar. Kaia stood up quickly and walked to where Zuko stood at the prow. Then Zuko continued. "Quite agile for his old age."

"He is the Avatar, I'm sure being agile is nothing to him."

Zuko nodded absentmindedly at Kaia's word's. He turned, and barked an order. "Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar..." He turned back to look though his telescope, seeing something more. "...as well as his hiding place."

Kaia took the telescope from him, ignoring his outraged growl, and looked. Through it, she saw to her left a small Water Tribe village, the only thing that was left of the once formidable Southern Water Tribe. She could imagine the women that remained distressing at the black snow that fell from the sky; she could imagine the terror of those who had experienced this before. She could imagine the fear - and that brave defiance - that would rise in them when they saw the ship approach their small village, formidable and threatening.

"Please excuse me, Zuko," she told him curtly, taking a moment to gather herself in her room and remind herself where her true alliance lay.

* * *

**Edit: Just added one or two words about Kaia's outfit for future readers, nothing of importance. These edits will be very common, and I'll mention at the bottom if they're important or not, but otherwise you may ignore them. :)**

**Edit 2: Accidentally forgot to change view from first person to third person. Changed it now. :)**

**Edit 3: Had to correct a thousand grammar mistakes.**

**Yours truly, **

**Sophie**


	2. Possessed

Kaia was preparing herself. She had to fit her armor herself, of course, but she was used to it. After all, she couldn't very well call on the men to put her armor on her, could she?

It was unfortunate that there were no women on this ship. It had been hard for her to get used to living without female company, and it took quite some time to earn the respect of the men on this ship. Like most men, they didn't think that women were capable of fighting, or worthy enough to be given a chance. Of course, Kaia was quick to prove them wrong.

She girded herself with a breastplate, shoulder guard, and donned the metal wrist guards. Her armor was light, but sturdy and near impenetrable. Below it, she had a red tunic, and red harlem pants that reached her knees, with the same colored tights underneath - basically her usual attire. She fixed her lower amour, and the metal shin guards. She wore no helmet.

She snuck a glance at one of her favorite weapons, the one she took with her almost everywhere: strong iron fingernails that were fastened into leather bands fitted on the fingers, and resembled claws: the neko-te. After a long moment, she decided to leave it, thinking that they wouldn't be needed. She left her katana, something she was relatively skilled in - not all that much, but enough to save her life. She took her prime weapon: her dual sai daggers. She never went anywhere without them. They practically defined her, these weapons. As Zuko was a master with the dual dao swords, she was a master of the dual sai daggers. She slipped the sai on her back, the tip of each protruding from her shoulders.

Now, she was ready.

. . .

Alone, Sokka stood atop the ice wall of the village. All was eerily silent as he scanned the horizon, not seeing past the mist. He squinted. Suddenly, a deep rumbling noise was heard and the ground began to shake. Parts of the wall on which Sokka stood began to crumble. The villagers looked around in alarm.

The guard tower collapsed in a heap of snow and ice, causing Sokka, disappointed at the tower's collapse, to say, "Oh man!"

Pandemonium broke out in the village as people began to run every which way. Katara was in their midst, but she stopped and stared.

Still atop the wall, Sokka looked small. Suddenly a massive shadow emerged from the mist, dwarfing Sokka. The bow of a Fire Nation ship.

"Ohhh man!" Sokka said in a shaky voice, looking up at the bow of the ship with wide eyes.

The vessel cut through the ice all the way to the city wall itself. As the ship continued to ice break towards the wall, Katara put Gran Gran into one of the tents in the rear and then saw a lone child, standing, staring as if transfixed at the sight of the ship looming nearer, seemingly oblivious to the snow threatening to collapse underneath her. She got the little child out of harm's way as the ice floor of the village began to crack all over the place under the stress.

As she put the child in a tent, she turned to look back to Sokka. The ship was reaching the wall, Sokka poised both tragically and comically to the ships hull with his weapon.

"Sokka, get out of the way!" Katara yelled worriedly at her brother, but he doesn't respond. What did he think; he could take out the huge metal monster with his cudgel? Maybe a hit would break it down to pieces? Or maybe that the mere scratch the cudgel was capable of inflicting would bring down the entire mechanism?

As the ship reached the wall, it collapsed into a heap of ice and snow, which tumbled back into the village, carrying Sokka with it. The ship came to a halt. Steam wafted up from where the bow had split the ice. The villagers, Katara in front, emerged from their shelters and stared in trepidation and amazement at the ship. Katara drew a deep breath in anticipation. Sokka looked up at the ship, also drawing a breath. The ship looked bigger than the village.

With a noise of metal on metal the bowsprit of the ship opened and folded out and down onto the village's floor. The bowsprit became a huge gangplank, for disembarking Fire Nation troops. Sokka fell backwards to avoid being crushed by it.

Smoke drifted out dramatically from the opening, and Katara could almost _hear _the melodramatic music playing in the background. As the steam cleared from the top of the bowsprit, a boy who looked about sixteen with a helmet - barely covering his scarred eye - and a host of Fire Nation soldiers were revealed. He walking down the gangplank stairs followed by guards. And there, behind the guards, a girl came strutting down with a gait that resembled a warrior's.

She wore no helmet, and it showed her features clearly. Black hair pulled up in a high ponytail and flowing down to her waist, was shining in what little sunlight seeped through. Her eyes were visible even from this distance, a bright gold that constantly shifted: first it went from a deep, burnt color, like a flickering flame, and then changed to the bright golden color, like the sun. Just like everyone in the Fire Nation's. They were sharp, but had a distinctive softness to them – one that no one seemed to see. The weapons on her person looked intimidating, and if Katara could venture a guess, she was a firebender. The power that she held herself up with showed.

Sokka got up and charged Zuko with an adolescent war cry.

Kaia turned at the sound, alert, but relaxed almost immediately when she saw that it was nothing Zuko couldn't handle - just a boy who was clearly not very skilled at fighting; if the way he'd just screamed gave any significance.

He did have this look in his eyes though, Kaia noted. He looked like he was willing to give his life to protect his village; she saw steely determination, unquestionable honor and fierce loyalty in them. She read it all like an open book. Everyone's eyes gave away their emotions, and character; somehow she always could see it.

As he ran up the steps to the Prince, Zuko casually and expertly kicked his weapon out of his hand in a roundabout kick and then kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling on the ice to the plank's right. His head got stuck in the snow and he struggled comically to free himself. The woman in the village all gasped, and though Kaia found the boy's comical struggle funny, her heart gave a painful lurch as she watched the people's obvious fear.

_Fire Nation, _she reminded herself. _You are Fire Nation. You belong to the Fire Nation. Nothing else._

The villagers drew back in fright at the ease with which their only warrior had been dispatched by the invaders. Kaia shook her head, pity overwhelming her at the state the village had been left in; the once great Southern Water Tribe whose tales had been told with awe at the Fire Nation, now reduces to this little... thing, without any proper protection. Zuko walked forward to address the village. He looked over the crowd, and then walked over to a Water Tribe girl and who Kaia assumed to be her grandmother.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko demanded harshly. He looked around at the crowd. Kaia looked around anxiously, too, finally having gotten down the gangplank at her leisure. When no response came, he grabbed the old lady and shoved her roughly to the crowd. "He'd be about this age? Master of all elements?"

Rage filled Kaia. White, burning hot fire suddenly burst in her hands. People gasped. Her kaleidoscope of flame-colored eyes had turned in her anger, into a very, very light gold; so light, in fact, it looked almost peach-colored with a light tinge of gold. She was angry, and very angry. She didn't exactly know the reason, but she was. Zuko had barely finished his sentence when Kaia had barged in between him and the old lady, crouched down with her lips pulled back in a feral snarl.

Zuko staggered back, surprised, and, though he wouldn't admit, a bit afraid. Flames licked Kaia's hands, and the old woman looked at them with alarm, though she was frozen. Zuko tried to take a step forward, a bit angry, but Kaia _growled - _actually growled - in a very clear warning. Zuko didn't know what had come over her; she was acting like an animal. She'd never been like this before. She glared at Zuko for a while more until she found herself again. She blinked, twice, seemingly dazed; the color never left her eyes, though, which meant she was still capable of using the white fire. Her eyes always became that color because of the fire, and that was like a warning bell to everyone around her.

Kaia slowly stood up. She ignored Zuko - who was just about to scream at her for her incompetence - and turned to the old lady. She did something surprising, then. She bowed, her fisted right hand on the inside of the open left palm - not the Fire Nation salute, but the traditional one used in the other nations. The old woman moved back a step, surprised. Kaia straightened, and said, "We are sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am. We mean you no real harm-"

"You should have thought of that before you broke down our wall," the old lady said in a monotonous, dry voice. Kaia continued.

"-We only wish to ask you of something. You see, we are on a quest - or on a hunt. Of course, you must know how sacred and important hunts are, being Water Tribe." The woman blinked, trying to understand how this Fire Nation girl could know anything at all about the Water Tribes. "We are looking for someone - someone who's probably a hundred years old, and master of all elements. I'm sure it sounds familiar to you." Although before she could reply, Sokka interrupted.

Kaia had to admire the boy's courage, and marvel at his bravery - and stupidity. Even though Zuko had already beaten him once, he went for another hit: foolish, but brave.

His face paint was largely gone. He retrieved his weapon and charged Zuko with another cry. Zuko turned to him in annoyance. He dodged Sokka's charges and flipped him over his head. Zuko fired a blast of flame at Sokka, but Sokka rolled out of the way, throwing his boomerang at Zuko as he did. Caught by surprise, Zuko barely avoided the boomerang.

Kaia hated boomerangs. Stupid things had hit her way too many times for her taste. She made a face.

Zuko looked angrily at Sokka over the near miss. A childish voice rang out from the crowd. A little boy amidst the crowd threw Sokka a spear, accompanied by the words, "Show no fear!"

_Stupid advice_, Kaia thought, _seeing as fear is one of the main things that make us human. One of the main things that keep us on our guard, one of the things that drive us and make us better ourselves. Fear is necessary if you want to be a great warrior. Fearlessness is useless, and it will bring you down in battle. Fear has to be respected. _Then she pondered his words some more._ But I suppose _showing_ no fear is a different matter, _she re-evaluated.

Stumped by a little kid. Huh. She needed more sleep; it seemed as if her brain was malfunctioning.

Sokka caught the spear and charged Zuko, who, as Sokka reached him, broke off pieces of the spear shaft with his wrist guards. After the head of the spear has been shorn off, Zuko grabbed the spear, bonked Sokka on the forehead with it several times - it was all Kaia had to do not to burst out laughing - then broke it in half and dropped the pieces on the ground. He didn't even bat an eyelash.

Sokka, after getting bonked on the head, had sunk to the ground, rubbing his head. Zuko stood sternly over him. In the sky, Kaia saw the boomerang reappear. Too late, she opened her mouth to warn Zuko, but- it slammed Zuko in the back of the head, knocking his helmet off kilter. This time Kaia couldn't contain the snort that left her. Zuko glared at her, then turned back to the fallen warrior. Furious, Zuko began to spit fire out of his hands, forming fire daggers in each as he hovered menacingly over Sokka.

A sound alerted Kaia; somewhere behind her, something that sounded like… a sled. She turned to see and orange and white blur streak past her. She saw a blurred glimpse of a boy in orange clothing riding a - was that a penguin?

He flew right under Zuko, sweeping his legs out from under him. Zuko landed with his butt up in the air. The helmet landed on his behind in a most suggestive manner. The children cheered as the boy reached the villagers. As he and the penguin banked, dumping snow on the kids when they stop cheering comically, then resume the chant anyway. The penguin slid to a halt and pushed him off. The penguin got up, looked at the boy, and then turned and waddled away.

The kid in orange casually turned to the amateur warrior and the Water Tribe girl who looked like his sister. "Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka."

The Water Tribe boy, a bit dejected, said dryly, "Hi... Aang. Thanks for comin'."

But, at the bizarre scene before her, Kaia began to laugh so hard she felt a tear escape her eye. She didn't care that Zuko had been knocked in a most embarrassing way; he was more than capable of taking care of himself. _Everyone - _including the orange-clad boy - looked at her. She wiped the tear from her eye. "Oh, spirits, that was the _funniest _thing I'd ever seen! Zuko, you should've seen your face! It was _hilarious._"

Zuko had a feeling he'd never live this down. He was still furious with her, sure, but that didn't stop him to turn a bit pink in embarrassment. He ignored her, focusing on the orange-clad boy. He recognized the outfit if the airbenders, but it couldn't be, surely. He was just a kid...

He got up, signaling to his soldiers and settling in a firebending stance. Kaia sobered, watching attentively. Her eyes, which had momentarily turned normal, turned that weird light color again, and she kept her fire-whips - made of white fire - ready, just in case. The boy dressed in orange - whose name, she'd gleaned, was Aang - took a stance.

Aang looked over at the firebenders. He was at the ready with his staff, surrounded by Zuko and his men - and that girl. Somehow, he had a feeling she was a threat, and her fire-whips cemented the idea. The soldiers began to close in, but suddenly Aang blew the men on either side of him backwards with blasts of air. He blasted Zuko as well, but he held his ground, shielding his face from the wind. The blast hit Kaia too, hard, but she made a strong wall of fire around her and dug her feet in the ground. Still, the ice whipped at her face, the fire-whips that she'd formed extinguished, and she got knocked to her knees. She gritted her teeth, then got up and re-formed the whips, eyeing the boy with much more wariness than before.

"Looking for me?" the boy said, staring defiantly at Zuko.

The snow steamed on Zuko armor as he said, quite incredulously, "_You're_ the airbender? _You're_ the Avatar?"

The Water Tribe siblings looked surprised. "Aang?" the girl said, looking a bit hurt. "No way," the boy said slowly, sounding awed and incredulous at the same time.

Zuko and Aang maneuvered for position against each other in the middle of the village that had become an arena. Kaia stood next to the guards, tensed up like before. This was Zuko's fight, but she wouldn't let anything happen to him - or the kid, now that she thought about it - and would intervene if she had to.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditating. You're just a child!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Well, you're just a teenager," the boy said, straightening, with a funny expression on his face. Despite herself, Kaia cracked a smile.

Zuko fired blast after blast. Aang cried out. Kaia took a step forward, unconsciously. Aang was hard pressed, fear showing on his face. He dissipated each blast as it struck by twirling his staff in front of him. It didn't block the fire from reaching the villagers, though, and they cried out. Kaia had had enough. She stepped in front of Aang, dissipating the next blast of fire Zuko threw at him. He looked furious. Then Kaia turned around and, using her white fire-whips, she wrapped them around the boy, pinning his arms to his sides. Unlike normal fire, she could control this. She could choose whether or not it would burn. It was a gift some firebenders - the few gentle ones that existed - could only dream of, and she was very, very grateful for it.

The boy squirmed, trying to get free. Kaia stepped closer and crouched down to his height, looking into his eyes. In it, she saw innocence, confusion, fear, pain, and love. Love for the villagers. She drew back a bit, her expression softening, though she never let go of the fire-whips. Aang noticed how her expression changed, and confusion became prominent in his being once again. "You cannot protect this village on your own, Avatar," she said softly. "Come quietly, and we will spare them." Aang saw the sadness in _her_ eyes. With a jolt, he realized she didn't want to hurt anyone to get to him.

He looked to the teenage boy behind her. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" Though he was tied up, he spoke like he was coming of his own will and as though that they couldn't force him if they wanted to. Zuko was still in a firebending stance. After a brief pause he straightened up and nodded stiffly. Kaia bent and picked up his staff, which was on the ground, and weighed it in her hands. The fire-whips around the Avatar dissipated, and a soldier came forward and tied his hands behind his back.

Katara came forward, and, in a heartbroken voice, said, "No, Aang! Don't do this!"

Aang turned back to Katara with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Katara, it'll be okay," he said. For a moment, Kaia saw a crestfallen expression overtake his face.

The soldiers push him forward roughly. He gave a little cry. Kaia growled, "Be careful, idiots. He's the Avatar, not a toy, and he's wanted _alive._" They hung their heads, chastised.

Kaia really appreciated the power she had over the crew.

"Take care of Appa until I get back," he told the Water Tribe girl with another smile.

"Head a course to the Fire Nation," Zuko commanded strongly. "I'm going home."

_Yes, _Kaia thought. You're _going home._

_. . ._

The Fire Nation ship sliced across the water, deadly. Aang, with his hands bound behind him, faced Zuko, the guards, an older man who looked like he was slightly on the fat side, and the girl with the strangely colored fire. His staff was in Zuko's hands, and Zuko said, "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father." He looked at Aang. "I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold. And," he shoved the staff at Iroh, "-take this to my quarters."

Iroh immediately turned to the guard on his left as Zuko walked away. "Hey, you mind taking this to his quarters for me?" The guard took it and he walked away.

Kaia followed the guards taking away Aang, down the stairs. She knew this kid would do something to escape; she hadn't missed the way he'd told the Water Tribe girl to take care of - what had he said? - 'Appa until he was back'. Which meant he'd be back, and definitely.

Kaia just _had_ to have something to do with this.

The Avatar was in between two guards, but Kaia slipped in front of him, walking backwards. She stared at him as she walked, and he shifted, uncomfortable by her gaze. It was almost as if she knew he was planning something. Ignoring this, Aang said, "So... I guess you've never fought an airbender before. I bet I can take you three with my hands tied behind my back."

"Silence!" one of the guards said, while Kaia smirked.

"Don't forget, Avatar, Prince Zuko by himself nearly beat you at the village. Try taking out three fireben-" Kaia was cut off from finishing when the Avatar drew in a deep breath and blew out a strong gust of wind that knocked out both the guards. Kaia, fortunately, had seen him inhale and had a precious split second to jump up and narrowly avoid being blown away.

The Airbender and Firebender faced off. Kaia took a bending stance and then, all of a sudden, she felt a shockwave go through her. Her back arched, and it took all she had to hold in a scream. She floated off the ground, and her eyes, rolling back in her head, turned a milky white. Time froze for a moment, and Aang stared, horrified.

It happened so fast, that Aang barely finished letting out the breath he'd been holding.

A sleepy-sounding voice took over Kaia's consciousness. She felt pain, but it was distinct for now. The voice started to speak, _Kaia, daughter of fire. Stand down. Do not lay harm on the Avatar, or you shall face the consequences. Your duty is to the world. The Fire Nation has corrupted yours and it's own spirits'. You must stay strong and choose the right path, on your own. Remember your duty, daughter of fire._

The voice was ancient, and powerful. It sounded like the crackling flames, felt as powerful as the ocean, and seemed as never-ending as the sky. It was the voice of a spirit, and a very powerful spirit at that. Yet, despite it all, the voice sounded a bit weak, and tired. It sounded like it was dying. It sounded like it was fighting to stay powerful, but was still going strong - for now, anyway. It reverberated around her mind.

Kaia opened her eyes, and this time they were the same color as her white-fire. "_I will,_" she whispered, yet her voice seemed to be multiplied a thousand times, like she was still possessed.

She felt the pain now.

Kaia dropped down, unconscious.

. . .

"The Avatar has escaped!" The cry came muffled, from one of the guards that hadn't been knocked fully unconscious. Dazed with his head throbbing painfully, but not unconscious. He had missed Kaia's episode, seeing as he was still trying to regain sense of the world. He had gotten up after he'd seen the Avatar flee, and immediately stumbled though the hatch to warn the others of his escape. He'd completely forgotten about his superior, Mistress Kaia, who just lay there looking for all the world like she had stopped breathing.

. . .

When the Zuko had the Avatar trapped, he said, "Looks like I underestimated you." Then a realization struck him like a ton of bricks when he remembered Kaia accompanying the Avatar to the prison hold - and what the Avatar must've done to bring down Kaia to escape.

"Kaia," Zuko whispered. He glared at Aang. "What did you do to her? Where is she?!" Aang's expression morphed into something he couldn't decipher - guilt? - and Zuko assumed the worst. He charged at Aang with a ferocious war cry, giving it his all. He was very, very angry. Nobody messed with him or his allies. _Nobody._

His temper got the best of him, and Zuko ended up being hit repeatedly by his mattress and the Avatar had escaped. Again.

He chased the Avatar all the way to the bridge's observation deck. In one last, desperate attempt, he jumped with a cry to latch on to the Avatar's ankle, bringing them both down.

Zuko got distracted as a mild roar rang out across the ocean. He looked up and saw a strange beast with... arrows? Yes, an arrow on it's head. It looked like a giant bison - or a buffalo. Either way, it was surprising, and prompted Zuko to snap out of his firebending form and say, "What _is_ that?"

"Appa!" the Avatar exclaimed happily, and turned. This time, Zuko didn't waste the opportunity. He struck, but the boy turned just in time to twirl his staff and dissipate the fire. He was thrown backwards with the force, though, trying desperately to keep himself up by twirling his staff and nearly flying. He leaned backwards precariously over the edge. He regained his balance, though, and Zuko fired three more blasts at him - which Aang tried to block by twirling his staff - before his staff was knocked away from him. After four consistent blasts from Zuko, Aang found himself on the railing, trying to maintain his balance once again. Finally, after two more fire blasts that nearly singed the Avatar, he fell into the water.

It all went downhill from there.

Just when the Fire Nation Prince thought that he'd gotten the best of the Avatar, the water began to churn dangerously. Zuko watched, transfixed, as a mighty whirlpool of water began to form, until all of a sudden, a monstrous, inverted tornado of water shot toward the surface at amazing speed. Zuko looked up at the swirling column of water and the Avatar at its pinnacle with dismay and fear. The twelve-year-old boy's eyes and tattoos were glowing, and his expression of determination was absolute. He radiated power around him in waves.

He landed on the deck, his eyes still aglow, and bent the water from the column around him in circle. He released it and it expanded outward in a shockwave that blasted Zuko and his men overboard. In a last, desperate attempt, the Prince held on to the first thing he could touch. It turned out to be the Avatar's staff, whose end was balance on the edge. Somehow, by some miracle, it held him up; and Zuko wasn't the most lightweight person around.

He felt footsteps come near him, and felt a hand grab the other end of the staff. Zuko looked up to see the Water Tribe boy pick it up, and he knew that this wouldn't end well. The boy hit him on the forehead with the staff, three times, just like Zuko had hit him with his broken spear back at the village. Zuko let go and began to fall to the water below, but grabbed the anchor chain in time. He hung by one hand.

Dimly, he heard the boy say, "Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!" He resisted the urge to growl.

Iroh helped Zuko up the ship with a very confused expression on his face. Zuko resorted to explain everything to his uncle later on, then barked out, "Shoot them down!"

Zuko and Iroh in unison launch a massive bolt of fire at the large flying creature that had come to rescue the Avatar. Unfortunately, the attempt was foiled when the airbender swung his staff like a bat and airbent a gale that sent the fireball at a right angle away from the beast and into the ice cliff nearby. The fireball exploded, releasing a huge amount of ice from the cliff wall, which fell into the narrow channel that Zuko's ship was navigating. Zuko gasped in horror as the bow of the ship and indeed the entire channel was blocked up under an avalanche of ice.

Zuko and Iroh could do nothing but stare as the three kids - a waterbender, an airbender, and a warrior - flew away on the bizarre giant flying beast.

Iroh finally broke the silence. "Good news for the Fire Lord. The nation's greatest threat is just a little kid." He tried to sound soothing, but not much could calm Zuko's frazzled nerves.

"That kid, Uncle, just did this," Zuko said hatefully, referring to the snow-covered prow. "I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" Zuko turned once again to order his soldiers, and was greeted with the sight of them trying to thaw the snow out using controlled firebending. "As soon you're done with that," Zuko said awkwardly.

Then he remembered Kaia. His eyes widened, and he ran down the stairs to see Kaia at the bottom, struggling to pull herself up. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the sight ripped him apart. Who could do this to Kaia - his Kaia? She was so strong, so resolute, so brave. She was powerful and threatening. Now, she could hardly pull herself up. Her breath came in short gasps. He had never seen her look so - weak. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and relief flooded her eyes. "Zuko," she whispered. He jumped the remaining steps and carefully helped her up.

She sighed. "I hate this," she said quietly. "Spirits, how I hate this. I don't even know what happened. I was ready to take him down, you know. I was ready - I knew I could take him. And then - goodness, I felt pain. That's all I can remember, Zuko. I just remembered pain. It was agonizing - I hated it. No, not the pain. I hated the fact that I was powerless. Do you know how that feels? It's the worst feeling ever. I don't even know what the Avatar did - or even how he did it. Next thing I know, I'm unconscious. I can't even remember _being_ unconscious. Scratch that, I can't remember anything _at all._"

Zuko halted her rambling by putting a hand over her mouth. She looked up at him, eyes wide. Sometimes - though it was hard for him to admit it - he forgot so easily that she was capable of just _feeling_. Feeling insecure, scared, vulnerable. Human emotions. Oh, she was a warrior, definitely; but she couldn't always hide her emotions. He felt a wave of protectiveness surge through him towards the girl. It was odd; Zuko wasn't one to care easily. But he did care for her, much like he cared for his uncle - a lot. She had saved his life on numerous occasions, had given up her path to travel with him and ultimately help him, had stuck by his side despite her conflicting inheritance - she was his ally, his _friend_.

He had a friend, and she needed one right now. And he was going to give her his friendship, in return, for all that she had done for him.

. . .

Zuko helped Kaia. She was grateful; very, very grateful. He was good, underneath. She knew that; of course she did. He was showing it now - like he did sometimes in rare moments. He took care of her. It felt nice, to be taken care of.

Kaia was more than a little shaken up. She didn't remember anything. _Anything. _It was like there was this huge blank in her memory; every time she tried to remember what had happened, all that would come up was a blinding white light: a blank. The only thing she remembered - though it was a little fuzzy - was following the Avatar down the stairs, dodging his not-so-surprise attack, and getting into a position to defend herself and get him under custody - then nothing. Suddenly, she wakes up groggy with pain emanating from her head and her entire body. _What happened?_ came the clichéd thought. Then came: _Wait, was I unconscious? How did I become unconscious? _After that: _How in the name of Agni did the Avatar escape?_

Then the fuzzy thoughts drifted back into her mind - the fact that she had him cornered and he had somehow defeated her made her cringe - and when she tried to move, her arms felt like jelly. She felt beyond afraid, though she couldn't fathom why.

When Zuko escorted up the stairs and outside, Iroh immediately became concerned. Kaia smiled at Uncle - he was like a mother hen, really - and assured him that she was just a little shaken up with her encounter. Clearly, he didn't believe her, if his skeptical look was anything to go by.

When she and Zuko were alone in her cabin, she broke down.

Now, Kaia wasn't one to cry. In fact, she only cried about four times in her life: One, when she was five and her pet puma-cat had died; two, when she was ten and her dad died in the war; three, when her mom had gone insane and disappeared shortly after that; four, when she was twelve, after her face-off with a Fire Nation soldier: and, then, it was only a mini sob session - after all, she was a firebender and not very affected by burns, both the physical and mental.

Now, the fifth time; it was probably the worst.

. . .

Zuko watched the girl hold it together for a few minutes after they had entered the cabin; he knew she would break - he a subconscious feeling.

His mind was reeling. Today was - well, it was certainly was very weird. It had been very... bipolar. Or, rather, Kaia had been bipolar. Her behavior intrigued him. First, the way she'd reacted when he'd grabbed the old Water Tribe woman. She'd been almost... savage. Her eyes had grown that unearthly color that he'd come to secretly hate; it was like watching the Avatar transform, but worse. She was not the Avatar, and absolutely nothing like him. From what he knew, she didn't lose control of herself. She was still the same old Kaia, just using otherworldly powers. But today - today had been different. The way she'd crouched - that wasn't Kaia. The way rage filled her eyes... it had happened quite a few times, but it was different this time. Zuko had felt a shiver pass through him at the look in her eyes; he couldn't explain it exactly, but it had unnerved him to no end. She had looked possessed. Her fire had been more violent than usual, and he could feel the heat from feet away; he even could _hear _the crackle of the flame, like some sick laugh.

Then, before that; he couldn't remember exactly, because he had been too focused on the Avatar to take full notice of her - but it had seemed as though she didn't want to raid the village for the Avatar. The brief glimpse of her face that he's gotten had been filled with an expression that he couldn't fathom: was it remorse? Confusion? Grief?

Was her heritage getting in the way of her allegiance?

No, it couldn't be. Kaia wouldn't do that to him; she'd said so herself. The thought managed to calm him a bit.

Although, he couldn't help but feel angry at her. She had stood against him, no matter in what small way; she had, indirectly, questioned his authority, and humiliated him in front of the village. Zuko didn't like to be humiliated, intentional or not.

Also, _how _had the Avatar defeated her? She had her flaws, true, but she was a firebending prodigy and a hard worker; those qualities combined, along with hours upon hours of training, had made her skilled - for her age, at least. She could have taken the Avatar - who was just a child! He wondered what had happened. Her rant was confusing, and she was nervous. Also... scared? Was she scared? She sounded scared. She tried never to sound scared - she did have a lot of pride - but she definitely knew of fear. She tried her best not to lose control. But then, she had. She'd been rambling - _rambling! - _incoherently. It was enough cause to worry.

Still, he was still angry.

But the moment she broke down, the anger dissipated like a weak flame in the middle of a blizzard.

She was a mess: a blubbering, sobbing mess. Kaia - that hard-core, stubborn Fire Nation girl who had stormed his ship with an ego the size of the Earth Kingdom - lost control… completely, this time.

He let her cry on his shoulder. She didn't seem to care that he was decked in uncomfortable, hard, metal armor. He tried to comfort her, but it was very awkward. Zuko didn't know what to do around crying girls; girls in general were a mystery. So he awkwardly patted her head and tried to rub soothing circles on her armor-clad back. She continued to sputter, sob, shriek, sniffle, and just cry in general. After what felt like hours, she pulled away. Her face was blank, but her nose was red, her eyes puffy, and her cheeks were stained.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely. Zuko nodded. He knew she didn't want to talk about it. She needed time. But he could see that she was grateful. She cleared her throat. "We should be moving now," she said, her voice stronger. "They've probably already thawed out the remaining soldiers. Let's go get repairs at the nearest docks, Zuko, then resume the- the search," she choked.

"I will tell the helmsman to set our course," Zuko responded normally, which was how she wanted it to be. She sighed once, then gave him a smile. He didn't think he'd be able to smile back, so he settle for a grimace.

Zuko stood up, heading for the cabin door. He opened it, and stood there for a moment, as though thinking. "You know, Kai... me and Uncle are there for you, right?" he said stiffly.

Kaia nodded, her throat too closed up to speak, trying not to show how much his words affected her. Zuko felt, rather than saw, her nod, then left.

She had someone. She had someone for her.

Her mood felt just a little bit better.

* * *

**I feel horrible.**

**I'm too lazy to edit it throughout, so I'm just gonna post. Please bear with the grammar mistake; I know they're horrible.  
I think I'll edit it _way _later...**

**Just for your reference, Kaia is pronounced like Kaya. And, I swear, the fact that her nickname is 'Kai' is just a coincidence. It has nothing to do with Kai from LoK. I even posted this story before I saw that episode!**

**But, funny coincidence, eh? :D**

**~ Sophie**


	3. AN

Hello, readers!

No, don't freak out.

And sorry, this isn't an update.

I know it's only been two chapters, but...

I'm gonna put this story on hiatus.

I know y'all are probably mad at me, but please read on to find the reason.

I started this story on a whim. The two chapters so far have been okay, but hazardously unplanned. I don't want this to be a crap story or whatever where nothing makes sense.

So, what I'm gonna do is not write it for some time. In this time, I'll outline a proper, legit plot so this story doesn't go to waste.

Also, I'm gonna work on my other two stories. One of them I adopted and obviously have an obligation to, because what's the point in adopting it if I don't write it? So, I'm gonna work on that.

And the other one is (more or less) the first story that I started to work on. It's plot outline is hazy, but the story it's based on is pretty freaking useless too. I guess that that story was like a started point for me to get into writing.

Anyway... if there are any LoK fans, the first story that I talked about is called I Won't Give Up, adopted from PerfectTwo and an FF on LoK. So... check it out, if you want. (Shameless advertising, meh.) :)Since putting up AN's as individual chappies is against the FF guidelines, here's a little something that I've been writing as, like, a separate oneshot to this story. ^.^

* * *

**It's in present tense! Bah... hope ya like it (and I hope ya don't hate me 'cause it's a major teaser).**

**Summary: ****She thought Zuko did wonderful. Even though he did fall. Of course, she couldn't resist the chance to give him a few tips; pointers on his stance. She was always one to show-off, too.**

Kaia watches Ursa and Zuko as they sit on the edge of turtle-duck pond, hidden in the shadows.

Ursa's hand reaches out slowly and touches the surface of the pool. She opens her palm to reveal some small bits of food. A baby turtle duck approaches the Fire Lady fearlessly and squawks. It is fuzzy except where it is covered by its shell. It eats the offered food with a little squawk.

In front of them in the pond hover four baby turtle ducks, hoping for more food. Zuko holds a stone in his hand.

"Hey mom, want to see how Azula feeds turtle ducks?" Zuko asks eagerly in child-like excitement.

Before Ursa can answer, Zuko throws the rock he holds in his hand at one of the baby turtle-ducks. It disappears beneath the surface.

Kaia finally comes out of the shadows. "Tsk, tsk, Prince Zuko. What kind of a boy hits a defenseless turtle-duck?"

Zuko whirls around in surprise. He gawks at Kaia while Ursa frantically reprimands him. Kaia smirks.

"What are _you _doing here?" he asks, anger flaring across his features.

"Zuko! That is no way you treat a guest!" Ursa scolds.

"_Guest? _What do you mean by _guest?_"

Ursa sighs. "We were going to tell you children later. Lady Kaia will be staying with us at the royal palace."


End file.
